More than a million American airmen were involved in air fighting during World War II. When Eighth Air Force aircraft were lost due to enemy action over Europe, the statistics on American airmen accumulated as follows:
- Over 26,000 were killed in action.
- Over 130,000 became prisoners of war.
- Over 7,000 were permanently disabled or hospitalized.
- Over 500 were interned in Sweden or Switzerland, neutral countries.
- And, over 5,000 evaded capture by the enemy after they were shot down!
These 5,000-plus American airmen who evaded capture by the enemy became part of or were hidden by the underground forces of the country in which they were shot down. Their wounds were treated, they were dressed in civilian clothes, they were given identity cards, and in many cases, led to freedom. The surviving evaders, or evadees, as they were known then, became bound together by an organization known as the Air Forces Escape and Evasion Society.
These evaders were sworn to secrecy until the mid-1970s to protect those who helped them during the war. Their stories were not for publication. This is the story of one of the 5,000 who, with the help of the Dutch underground, was hidden by, worked with, and fought beside the brave Netherlanders during the German occupation of their country.
